


A New Adventure Begins ( Mollymauk x Reader )

by Writers_Blogck



Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: F/M, High Elf Reader, Reader-Insert, Reader-Interactive, Slow Burn, critical role - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-08
Updated: 2019-03-22
Packaged: 2019-10-06 13:56:22
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 14,950
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17346440
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Writers_Blogck/pseuds/Writers_Blogck
Summary: When you escape from being a drow slave, where will you go? What will happen when you run into a camp where the Mighty Nein are staying? And what if a certain purple tiefling takes interest in you?





	1. Entering the Camp

**Author's Note:**

> Warning(s):   
> This will not follow the story line completely for the second season of Critical Role. This story is more like the characters being placed in a different situation. 
> 
>  
> 
> Also, this story is inspired heavily by https://mollymaymaukme.tumblr.com/.   
> Go read their stories about Molly. They are so good!   
> Title: A New Adventure Begins   
> Number in Series: One  
> Pairing: Mollymauk Tealeaf x Reader  
> Fandom: Critical Role   
> Word Count: 3,551. 
> 
> Song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M3GBOhDtnZ8&feature=youtu.be&list=PLD5WLGx3FZOxAxTRFlWcAMJ1C7potdkw1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning(s):  
> This will not follow the story line completely for the second season of Critical Role. This story is more like the characters being placed in a different situation. 
> 
>  
> 
> Also, this story is inspired heavily by mollymaymaukme.tumblr.com/.  
> Go read their stories about Molly. They are so good!  
> Title: A New Adventure Begins  
> Number in Series: One  
> Pairing: Mollymauk Tealeaf x Reader  
> Fandom: Critical Role  
> Word Count: 3,551
> 
> Art: https://www.deviantart.com/digitalripple/art/CriticalROLE-Campaign-2-The-Mighty-Nein-737895989

[Song](https://www.deviantart.com/users/outgoing?https://youtu.be/M3GBOhDtnZ8?list=PLD5WLGx3FZOxAxTRFlWcAMJ1C7potdkw1)   
  


 

    Magic could definitely be weird...The magic had been born with you and you'd never studied to gain the power. while wizards had to study for their magic, your magic simply happened to be. The issue you dealt with as you didn't study for the magic, you didn't have the control that the wizards had. It decided when it wanted to come out and work, often deciding to appear when your emotions were running high. Yet, when you needed it at the moment now, it was gone. It couldn't even manage a simple little spark to start a fire for you.   
      
    The wind chilled you to the bone as your bare feet crunched against the dried leaves. It must be either in the Fading time or Leaffall with how many leaves were on the ground. You had gotten used to the pain that was radiating from your soles. Rocks and twigs cut your skin, pain shooting up with your legs with every step. When you escaped, the thought of grabbing shoes never occurred to you. You cursed your past self as you took another step. It was too late to deal with that issue now.   
  
    The weather was so cold outside, you knew that if you stayed without heat for too much longer, you could die. You had never learned how to make a fire without using a torch or anything as a starter. Plus, there was no town close enough for you to be able to make it while walking on foot. There seemed to be no solution to the issue of this cold, but you then were greeted with the sight of smoke. Small smoke whisps plumed above, alerting you to a campfire being in the distance. You had no clue what had made that fire but your options were definitely limited on what you should do. Perhaps you could sneak in close enough to stay warm without being spoked by whoever had made it. You had no clue how far the fire warmth would be spread. If you were lucky, it was a dying fire which had been abandoned which you could stoke and re-light. If only you could be that lucky. 

 

 

-*- 

 

 

    The sound of chatter traveled across the wind as you moved closer to where the source of the smoke resided. Too bad for hoping the fire had been abandoned. It was hard to decide your next step should be. You needed to stay warm but these people could be dangerous. How could you know if they were safe or not? Slowly, you moved closer to the fire in hopes of feeling any type of warmth. You had no idea what you should do. Freezing to death didn't seem to be a good way to go but walking into a bandit camp couldn't be great either. 

    Each step brought you closer and closer to the fire, as well as closer and closer to those around it. It sounded like there were two people awake and talkng, though you couldn't see them or see if there were others as well. You made sure to stay by the trees, allowing them to keep you hidden from the light being cast from the fire in the middle. There was no heat reaching where you stood, which made your head spin even more. You needed to figure out what you should do. You still could sneak away and figure out a different way to survive the night, but did you want to? Everything seemed to be spinning. 

    If they all went to sleep, perhaps you could sneak in and get closer to the fire. Light a piece of wood with there fire and run off someone else, being able to light your own fire. What were you thinking, that wouldn't work. Why couldn't your magic make it easier and help you in this situation? If it only could create a fire for you before, you would never have been here. 

    As you tried to think of what to do, you took one tiny step forward and it seemed to trigger a voice which wasn't part of the chatter from before- 

    "Up, everyone up!" 

    Skipping a beat, your eyes drifted down to see what had alerted them to something being wrong. You expected to see a broken twig beneath your feet but instead were greeted by the sight of a silver thread. What the Hell was that? How had that alerted them? There was no time to think about that now though, your instincts to run were kicking in. You wouldn't allow yourself to be caught, not now and not ever again. 

    "What is it, Caleb?" A shrill, strange female(?) voice spoke up.

    "Somebody tripped the line; someone is here." 

    Just as you spun around to run off, your face was greeted with the hard surface of a muscular chest. You stumbled back into the light, hands shooting up to grab your nose where it had been hit? How could a chest hurt so bad? With your hands hiding your nose, your eyes drifted up to see what or who you had run into. Your stomach dropped as you were aware of what you had just gotten yourself into. Green skin, even without the large tusks, were enough to tell you that it isn't wasn't a human or a high-elf, like yourself. This has to be a half-orc, a race you had heard terrible tales about. The tension in the air held you in place like handcuffs. 

    "How about we go talk by the fire?" His voice was gruff and had a strange accent you had never heard before. 

    The man led you into the firelight, his hand resting on the middle of your back. The touch could be comforting in a different situation but this was a silent warning to keep you from running off. Even if you did, you knew that these people would catch you. You were fully versed in the silent languages of threatening touches. It wasn't rare for you to be on the receiving end of these touches. 

    Perhaps the warmth of the fire could be pleasant against your cold skin but you could barely feel it. Only the hand on your back and the eyes that greeted your shivering form were what you could feel. Your skin prickled lightly, a simple sign that your magic was acting up. It wasn't enough to do anything, it simply did this when you felt threatened. You couldn't tell if your shivers were being caused by the cold or the fear, maybe a mix of both.   
      
    No matter how you felt, you couldn't let it show. Weakness would be exploited if they were able to tell. You had to make sure to keep it hidden deep in your stomach, though you weren't sure how well you were doing that. With narrowed eyes, you were led into the firelight where the entire camp was now awake. 

    "Is this the thief that was trying to steal from us?" A blue tiefling girl spoke up, keeping your fear high though you attempted to keep it hidden. Why was this camp filled with dangerous races? Half-orcs, tieflings, what was next, a red Dragonborn? You should have just decided to test your luck without a fire for the night you decided. 

    "What did she want?" The shrill female voice came again. You could now see it was coming from the shortest of the group, who seemed to be a goblin? How was she here? Your mind was racing in confusion at the group before you. This was the worst thing you could have come across when all you needed was a little bit of warmth. 

    "I wasn't stealing from you!" Your voice waivered, no matter how hard you tried to keep it steady. You sounded like a victim. How could you act like you weren't terrified of what was going on in front of you? You never were good at looking or seeming brave. Maybe there was some bravery hidden deep inside of you but you hadn't found it yet. Even in your worst moments, it stayed hidden. 

    "And how do we know that?" 

    As you turned toward the speaker, your breath caught in your throat. Instinctively, your legs carried you back a step, the hand resting on your back keeping you from going too far. Everything in your body was telling you to run and not look back, yet you were trapped here. In your mind, purple and gray skin meant evil and pain. Cautiously, your eyes traveled up and met a pair of red, pupil-less eyes. You were taken aback for a moment and quickly took in the rest of this man's form. He wasn't what you thought he was, but his race was still terrifying. 

    "Scared of a tiefling, dear?" The purple man had his hands shoved deep in his pockets, rather calm for a man who thought he was being robbed. 

    "No.." You managed to get out, your chest still tight in fear. You may not have been used to seeing half-orcs or tieflings, but it was nothing compared to what you thought was before you. Your heart may have slowed down a bit but your adrenaline was still pumping. The danger was still present. 

    "Where are her shoes?" The girl with the darker skin shot in your direction, obviously judging you based on your appearance. You couldn't blame them, you were wearing a tattered white dress which was covered in stains and you had no shoes. Your hair was filled with mud and dust, which seemed to be something like coal or other mining dust. When was the last time you truly washed your hair? It never rained where you were kept as you were underground and they never allowed you to use the water to wash. 

    "She looks like she could use the money, she is feral." 

    "Nott, the girl said she wasn't here to steal. We should allow her to speak, ja?" The one who had been alerted to your presence spoke. His accent was strong and nothing like you were used to. Almost all of those in the group had some type of accent and none of them were the same. They all must have been from different places.  
      
    Even though all the beings in the group spoke common, it took a while for your mouth to form the words they would understand. How long had it been since you were in a place where Common was what everyone spoke? All you wanted to do was to survive the night and get as far away from this place as possible. Each day now seemed like it could be your last and you needed to focus on the present. 

    "Please, I merely wanted to be by your fire. I'm freezing. No one is with me, I'm alone. I don't have anything on me." 

    The group shared a glance, a silent conversation passing between the members. The purple tiefling was the first to step forward, a grin on his face which seemed to hide so much. His arms moved to grasp your shoulders gently, leading you to the fire. You knew this could end terribly but what choice did you have? Without the warmth, you would die anyway. Now it was time to take a risk. What else could you do? 

    "Yes, rest by the fire. Warm yourself and we can see if we can get that story out of you." 

    He led you to sit down on a log by the fire, the heat kissing your skin like a blessing. Even though this was a terrifying position to be in, you couldn't help but enjoy the feeling. You had spent too many nights in the cold, praying you would be able to make it until you were warm once again. The cold had been your companion for as long as you could remember. The warmth of the fire was a luxury you didn't take lightly. 

    "Do you know you look like shit?" The human woman spat out. She truly was not fond of having been woken up in the middle of the night, or perhaps she truly was this rude. 

    "Beau..." The half-orc whispered. 

    "What? I'm only telling the truth." 

    "I've been on the run, I just got away from my captors tonight." Your eyes went distant, remembering what you had just escaped and what you would give to never return to that place again. 

    "Escaped? From what? If you tell us, we may be able to help you.  _Devil's Tongue_." 

    Things seemed heavier, almost like exhaustion was taking over you as the man spoke, his forked tongue dripping his words like honey. How had you been afraid of him moments before? The smile on his face took away your nerves and made the rest of the group seem to disappear. The familiar blanket of magic covered you and even though you knew this man was charming you, you were too tired to care. As a high-elf, you shouldn't be able to be charmed but with everything you had been through with the night, your mind was vulnerable. This night had been so hard and how you longed to put your trust in somebody, even this purple devil sitting next to you. 

    "Drow, they have kept me captive for years. I don't remember who I was before I was with them. They took me when I was very young. Please, I can't go back down there. They were so horrible."

    This seemed to complicate things for the group. They all knew what traditional drow were like. Could they truly ignore this issue before them? From the look on Nott and Beau's face, yes. Yet, the men of the group all shared a different opinion. You may be trying to appear tough but your form was wrecked. You were tattered and dirty, your eyes filled with fear. To a hunter, you looked like a wounded prey animal who was searching for any way to escape. How could they just let you leave without helping you? The threat level seemed low as if this was something they could deal with. Without speaking, they decided what they should do. 

    "Poor dear, well we can't just send you back off into the night," The purple tiefling took his colorful jacket off and draped it over your shoulders. The warmth from the jacket enveloped your shivering form, making your even more tired than you already were, and yet your fear was still deep within your stomach. Your captors could be out there looking for you in the woods. Yet, you were so tired...

    The members grumbled some words to each other, but you couldn't make out what they were saying. The charm on you made you feel like you were drugged by something. All you could focus on was the warmth covering you and the fear nagging from the back of your mind. Your eyes glazed over as you watched the flames rise up to the sky. The male tiefling stayed next to you on the log, though you couldn't see him. You could feel his pressure against your side which was the only way you knew he was still there. Were they speaking? Everything seemed so numb and unreal. Maybe you had never left the Underdark and this was all a terrible nightmare. 

    If this magic wasn't confusing you, you would have been able to tell what was happening. The magic was putting you in a trance, though as an elf, it shouldn't be able to, you were just so tired. It didn't make you trust the people around you, though it did make you trust the purple tiefling for some time. You were now falling asleep, or the elf equivalent. Elves didn't sleep unless they wanted to, instead, they went into a trance-like state for around four houses. Normally you were able to control when you went into that state but the magic was causing you to fall into it. This truly was an issue. Hopefully, you really were able to trust these people, now it was an opportunity to test them even if you didn't want to. 

 

 

-*-

 

 

    "What is she doing?" Nott asked, her eyes narrowed as she studied your form. 

    Everyone seemed to relax once Molly covered you in his coat, though most were still wary. The only one who decided to sit on the log with you was Caleb. His eyes studied your form, taking in your entire appearance. He knew that once your trance was done, he wouldn't get this opportunity again. The magic seemed to pop off of your skin, it was easy for him to tell you had some in you. It was easy for the man to pick off different aspects of you, though he decided that he would keep it to himself. None of it mattered, he would only tell the others if it was a danger to them.

    "It isn't because of me, I swear," Molly spoke, his own eyes scanning you. He didn't think he caused this, right? He had never seen someone react to his devil's tongue like this. Just as he began to worry, Caleb spoke up. 

    "The girl is an elf. She is in her trance, it is kinda like sleep for them." 

    "How do we know we can trust her?" Jester seemed nervous. 

    "We don't," Beau growled. 

    "But, if she is telling the truth, we should just help her get to the next town. We are going to head there anyway, we might as well give her a ride there." 

    Molly stared at your form once he was finished speaking. He had seen many people like you, often coming to the carnival. Victims begging to join the circus. They were all broken inside in different ways and needed a place to stay. Plus, he was a sucker for a pretty face. The elven in you gave your face an innocent look with your doe eyes and pointed ears. He knew this could end up backfiring on the party, but they had to try. You looked like you couldn't hurt any of them with how weak you were. They would only know if you were bad or not with the passage of time. 

    "Perhaps what she is saying is true," Jester offered, doing what she did best and looking on the bright side, "We wouldn't be doing our hero duty if we just left her." 

    "I wouldn't call us heroes," Nott huffed, curling up in her bedroom. There still was quite a bit of time before they got back on the road again. The travel would take up most of the day tomorrow and they wanted to keep people from being as cranky as possible. Traveling when any of the girls (or Molly) was cranky was a nightmare. They only would make the mistake of keeping Jester up the entire night once. 

    "Why don't you lay down Fjord, I'll start my watch a bit early." 

    Fjord gave a gracious nod to Mollymauk as the rest of the party laid down and drifted off to sleep. It was soon quiet again other than the gentle snores from those around him and the cry of the crickets. Molly was never fond of taking watch but he appreciated it this time. It would give him time to think over what had just happened. It wasn't every night that a tired and wounded girl stumbled into their camp. 

    You said that you had been a slave to the drow, the dark elves that lived under the ground in the Underdark. Why had they wanted you and how did you escape? He knew that drow kept slaves but they often weren't elves. Elves often were weary, even more so than the other races, of their dark counterparts. So, how did they get you? He doubted that you would answer any of his questions in the morning. Mysteries surrounded you like a cloak. What kind of person was hiding beneath it? 

    Molly's tail gently swished back and forth in thought. He knew tomorrow morning was going to be very interesting. You would no longer be comfortable around him and the rest of the party and would go back to acting like scared prey. Depending on how long you were down below, it could be extremely frightening for you. Half-orcs and tieflings weren't known to be the most friendly races. They often were grouped up with the drow themselves. The idea of getting out of the drow's hands just to fall into what you thought were just as dangerous hands would be terrifying. 

    Hopefully they would be able to calm you down without using any magic again. Magic just pushed the issue to another day as your trust for them disappeared as soon as the magic wore off. 

    The morning couldn't come soon enough. 


	2. Wagon Ride

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning(s):  
> This will not follow the storyline completely for the second season of Critical Role. This story is more like the characters being placed in a different situation. 
> 
>  
> 
> Also, this story is inspired heavily by https://mollymaymaukme.tumblr.com/.  
> Go read their stories about Molly. They are so good!  
> Title: A New Adventure Begins  
> Number in Series: Two  
> Pairing: Mollymauk Tealeaf x Reader  
> Fandom: Critical Role  
> Word Count: 3,258
> 
> Art: https://twitter.com/Larn_draws

[Song](https://t.umblr.com/redirect?z=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3D43FnCO1DkOU%26index%3D5%26list%3DPLD5WLGx3FZOydxWjZFMAccdpa03busFaA%26t%3D0s&t=ZWE5OGEzMWZjOTFhYTc5NTRjODlkMTJiODQ3MWIyZjIzNTdhYTM1ZSxaRHU3amc5Nw%3D%3D&b=t%3A6s8zpmubyTER-kN6JP0Jug&p=https%3A%2F%2Fwriters-blogck.tumblr.com%2Fpost%2F182163315068%2Fa-new-adventure-begins-mollymauk-tealeaf-x&m=1)   
  


  
  
Panic filled you as your eyes were blinded by a bright light. This wasn't some fire or light spell, it was so bright! You had never seen something so bright! What if your eyes had something wrong with them? Were you going blind?! You stood up, feeling as if you were being strangled by something. Stumbling around, you attempted to open your eyes but it hurt too much. The light burned your eyes any time you tried to open the, What was going on? You couldn't breathe, you were freaking out. Magic seemed to pop against your skin in your confused state. Were you dying? What was going on? As you struggled, the jacket fell over your eyes, keeping out the light.

"Whoa, whoa, calm down! You're okay! If you keep freaking out, those feet of yours are gonna end up getting burned." Strong arms wrapped around you, steadying you back on your feet. A hand pulled the coat away, causing you to let out a squeal of pain and thrash your arms to cover your eyes again. The jacket had become almost like a blindfold, protecting your eyes from the us. When it was removed, the bright sun attacked your eyes once again.

"Molly, get her in the cart," The thick male accent spoke.

You could feel the gentle arms of Molly (presumably) move you in a direction that you couldn't tell. With every tentative step, your heart beat faster. Why did the light hurt your eyes so much? Large yet thin hands grabbed your waist and see you up on a hard surface. Instinctively, you pushed yourself away from the edge, pulling your knees as close to your chest as possible. How could you protect yourself when you couldn't even see? It was obvious to the others how you were similar to a wild animal, resorting to the basic aspects of the brain.

The wagon shifted as new weight was added. A pair of hands grabbed your own, slowly pulling them away from your eyes. You squinted as you opened your eyes, allowing them to be open just enough to test the waters. The inside of the wagon was dark enough to keep your eyes from being in pain. In front of you was the purple tiefling, holding your hands in his. His red eyes stared at you in what you would call concern, though it was hard to tell without pupils. The dirty man walked forward, bending down to look you in your eyes.

"Caleb, use that big brain of yours and tell me what is going on!"

"I believe because she has been in the Underdark for so long with drow caused her eyes to become adjusted to the dark. They are unaccustomed to the sunlight due to not being exposed to it for so long. She will need time to adjust again."

You totally forgot about the sun, which sounded like such a stupid thing but was true. With how long you were underground, you had forgotten about the sun and it became nothing more of a distant memory. You had escaped during the night when everything was simply illuminated by the moon. Before, you were just used to things being brightened up by fire. All you needed was to be able to see your work before, your captors kept most enjoyments or simple pleasures out of your life. It had just been another way they decided to make your life even worse.

"So, she can't see?" The blue tiefling asked, placing two bedrolls in the wagon, purple eyes moving to watch your form.

"Nein, it just means bright lights will hurt her eyes for a bit while they get used to such a bright environment."

"Oh good, because we don't need to worry about her being blind. That would totally suck."

-*-

The party packed up the wagon and were moving toward their next destination, taking you like extra cargo. You sat almost exactly in the middle on the right side, keeping the sun from affecting your eyes. As you watched the forest and road pass behind you, a dull ache filled your eyes. How long had it been since you had last seen the sun? The thought filled your stomach with unpleasant feelings. So much of your life has been wasted because of those terrible people. It just wasn't fair, but there was nothing you could do about it now.

Fjord had decided he would drive the wagon with the help of Beau. Molly and Jester were in charge of guarding and watching out for anything suspicious. Nott was messing with a bunch of buttons while Caleb had his nose stuck in a book. Everything seemed normal between the group and your felt like a sore thumb. With every simple posture change or quiet sigh, at least three pairs of eyes followed you. How you wished your magic could just turn you invisible so all their eyes would just go away.

"So, like, you never gave us a name or anything. I'm Jester."

Your eyes trailed up, able to really get a good look at the group who decided to help you. The one speaking to you seemed to be young, at least at heart anyway. Her skin was a light blue with curious eyes that were a mix of purple, pink, and blue. Freckles littered her face like stars, something you rarely saw. Since freckles were caused by the sun, no one got them down below. Your skin tone must have looked sickly when compared to those around you now. Perhaps a glimpse of yourself would be too much at the moment. You felt disgusting and knew that you must look that way as well.

"Spark, uh, wait no," You shook your head, eyes narrowing in confusion, "that was what they called me. My name is....(Y/N)."

"(Y/N)..." Jester seemed to test the name in her mouth before continuing, "Well, welcome to the Mighty Nein, like N-E-I-N. That is a word that Caleb uses, the bookworm. Nott is the goblin over there but she is very nice. She is a package deal with Caleb, they go everywhere together. Fjord is the green guy, he is pretty chill. He pukes up water sometimes, like the kind from the sea. Beau is up there with him, she is grumpy but she means well most of the time. And then that leaves Molly, the other tiefling."

"Mollymauk Tealeaf, at your service." The red eyes winked, the same ones that had charmed you last night. You wouldn't let it happen again.

You weren't shocked that Molly was the one that had charmed you last night. Everything about the man made you feel like he was twisting his words, with or without the use of his magic. A deep cut white shirt reached down his torso, slightly covered by his even more extravagant jacket. He was a carny, you didn't even need to ask about that. The drow liked to kidnap those from the carnival, no many to miss them. Were you part of the circus when you were younger? All you could remember before the dark was a pair of golden eyes shining down at your tiny form.

The lilac skin of Molly was covered in tattoos, though in the dark of the wagon and with some bits covered, it was impossible to tell what they were. Your eyes drifted up to study the man's face. Good features for a tiefling. Everything you had heard of them made them seem so much like devil creatures, with hideous faces and terrifying horns. Yet, there were two of them who both had pretty features. A smug grin rested on Molly's lips, just showing a hint of a white fang. When your eyes met his own, you quickly shifted your gaze. Has he noticed you studying him? Oh, Gods...

"So you were a slave. Did you smash rocks?" Nott squeaked out, her tone wavering. She held a flask in her tiny hand, obviously not caring about how early in the morning it was to be drinking.

"Nott..." Caleb's voice spoke up but he didn't even spare a glance from his book.

"No, I didn't do much manual labor. They often kept me inside one of the cages until they needed me. Most of my time was spent doing nothing and just sitting in the dirt."

"And what did they need you for, if you don't mind me asking?" Jester was watching you, her eyes filled with interest. Your own stared down at your dirty feet. You knew she meant no harm in asking but it was hard to think about the life you had just escaped.

When you thought back to your tasks, you just thought of pain. Never whips or arrows; though you had been hit by both but never during your tasks. No, the pain came from deep within when they used you. It was a terrible burning, only explainable by every molecule or piece of you being stretched like a rubber band. It never even caused external harm, everything was inside. Your soul, or something, was grabbed and pulled. You vowed to never have to feel that way again.

"I well, they used me more like a power source for their spells. It was like they reached deep within me and took pieces of me, my spiritual being, and then used it to power rituals. They would put me back in the cage to charge up again and heal inside before they would use me again. That happened for years, I stopped counting the years after it hit ten."

"Oh..."

A thick tension blanketed the entire wagon as you finished speaking. Your past was heavy and you had no clue how other people would react to hearing about it. What if someone wanted to use you in the same way? Would these people try to use you in some way as well? You would rather die than be put through that again. These people could take you to where they would use you and you wouldn't know. You had to put your trust in these people, even though it could end terribly. Your life was resting in their hands.

A fuzzy feeling brought you back into reality from your the panic attack that had been building in your mind. A cat, tabby in color, nudged your thigh with its head before it curled up so its body was pressed against you. Purrs reverberated and you could feel it again your leg. Without knowing, a small smile found its way to your face as you placed a hand on the war fur. The feeling and sounds were very grounding.

"That is Frumpkin, he is Caleb's familiar. He totally won't care if you're dirty or whatever. He chills with Caleb all the time so,"

"Jester," Molly gave a warning look to the girl.

"What?! She is dirty! She definitely knows it. No worries though, when we get to the tavern, we can totally have a girl's night to get her all clean and whatever."

Molly and Jester began to speak about what would happen when the party reached the next town. You couldn't remember the name of the town that they had said they were going to. Just as you began to tune out their voices, Caleb glanced up from his book. He offered you a kind look and a gentle shake of his head before he moved his focus back on his book again. This must be something that happened quite often. There was no anger or fear as they argued, which was a strange thing for you. Any hint of aggression was dealt with violence from where you were from. It was reassuring to hear a conversation like this that wouldn't end up with blood on the ground.

Outside, nature passed by with trees on both sides of the road. Birds chirped and sun their melodies. Even though it may be sore to watch the passing scenery, you couldn't help yourself. It had been so long since you had breathed fresh air or seen green trees. Below there had only been different rocks and mushrooms. There had been no real color other than monochromes and purple. Not even hints of greens and blues existed down below. It was amazing to see them again after so long. You hadn't been able to enjoy everything last night because of how scared you were. Perhaps it was the cat but those thoughts seemed so far away right now. All you could focus on was the beauty of the world all around outside.

What you didn't know was how a pair of red eyes seemed to be studying everything you were doing. There was such a wonder on your face. There was a beauty hidden under all the dirt and muck that covered your face. IT shone through the sparkles in your eyes and the slight incline of the edges of your lips. Molly became lost in thought as he watched your every movement, not even trying to hide his gaze from the rest of the party.

After an hour or so passed, a soft think against the side of the wagon brought everyone out of their dazes. You quickly looked around, eyes wide as everyone jumped into action. The wagon shook as both Fjord and Beau jumped down from the steering bench, reacting to the action.

"Attack! Guess we shouldn't have left you two keep watch, huh?!" Beau shouted, grunts and thuds already starting outside. As soon as the word attack left Beau's mouth, the rest of the party got to their feet. Nott jumped out, sliding under the cart to get a look at what was going on. Caleb and Hester followed suit, A gentle hand rested on your shoulder, squeezing it lightly.

"Stay here, we have this under control."

The noises only louder and louder as time went by. Shouts of pain and grunts filled the air, making it hard to tell which side was winning. Fear began to fill your entire body as well as the sparkles from before. You couldn't just sit here and let them die. A shout of Caleb's name was your final push for your decision as you grabbed a light scarf to wrap around your eyes. Could you help them in one way or another/ Worst case scenario was that you would need to ditch the rest of the group. Your bare feet stung as they made contact with the dirt road. It was hard to see but you were able to make out basic objects and silhouettes. Blood stained the ground a rust color where Caleb had fallen to the ground,

A group of around twenty bandits had jumped out from the woods, hidden by the thick leaves. Your heart races as you took in everything; with Caleb down that meant there were four bandits to each person if that didn't include you. Fjord and Jester were both attacking with magic, Nott delivering sneak attacks, and Molly was skillfully using his curved swords. Each had only killed one person each that still meant that there were three each. Your mind was racing, trying to figure out what you should do. If only your brain could work just as fast as your eyes which scanned the environment.

"Hey, one was hiding in the wagon!" A gruff voice shouted, his rough hand grasping your upper arm. Panic was beginning to set in now, it felt like fire sparks were exploding inside of you now. With how loud the fighting was, you doubted that anyone was able to hear what the man had said. Still, he began to drag your smaller frame forward. No matter how hard you struggled, he was still the stronger of you two. It looked like he was going to take you off the path and into the woods again. You couldn't let that happen.

"Let me go!" Your feet planted down in the dirt, heels digging in. First resort, distraction and wasting time. Ever since you were young, you knew you were weak. The easiest and most reliable way to get out of trouble was to get as much time as you could so you could wait for some type of help to arrive. Others would be able to do what you couldn't.

"Shut up bitch!" The trees were getting closer. Resort two was to flee. You may not be able to fight well but you were extremely fast and nimble. It was too late to try to flee, which meant that only left resort three. It was your last resort and you only prayed that it would work. Resort three had only worked once or twice in the past when you had tried to do it. What else could you do though?

"Let me go!" Your voice boomed against the trees as you shouted, freehand sweeping over the area where the enemies were located. Everyone, including those on your side, turned to see what had happened, all in the same state of confusion. They were greeted by the sight of you with your hand outstretched, the scarf slowly floating down, no longer tied to keep out some of the sunlight. You had glowing golden eyes, which would have been a beautiful sight except for the rage and fear filled look on your face. Even your allies were scared of you at the moment. They couldn't figure out what was going on with you.

Before your enemies could react, the ground beneath them rumbled. Sharp shoots of tree trunks, limbs, and branches shot up through the ground, growing around and impaling all of the enemies. Screams filled the air as your fist clenched, causing the limbs to tighten in and against their victims. The trees themselves were beautiful with purple and white flowers decorating them, a hard contrast against the blood that now was dripping from the wounds. Then, as soon as the limbs were there, they vanished, leaving the bodies to topple to the ground with a heavy hep.

"What the fuck was that?!" Beau shouted all eyes turned to your trembling form.

Her voice was the last thing you heard before you tumbled to the ground as well, body returning back to normal.

-*-

"Jester, you go and check on Caleb, I've got her!" Molly rushed over to your crumbled up form. As he checked your pulse, he was reassured that you had simply fainted. His arms cradled your body as he walked back to the wagon. Your head lolled to the side and fell against his chest, eyes shut. He was glad that you couldn't tell how scared he was from his heartbeat.

"How do we know we can trust her?" Nott spoke up, kneeling next to Jester and Caleb, who was slowly starting to stir once again.

"She saved us, didn't she?"

"Come on now, we got to give her a chance. We'll figure out what is going on when she wakes up and then we can decide what we should do," Fjord offered, as he always seemed to be the most level headed one.

Molly sat down in the wagon, cradling your head in his lap. His tail curled around to rest against the back on your hand, doing it more for him than yourself. This couldn't be the end for you, it simply wouldn't be fair. Straight from the drow and now this? It seemed like you had simply fainted due to over-exhaustion, or at least that was what he hoped.


	3. Aftermath

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning(s):  
> This will not follow the storyline completely for the second season of Critical Role. This story is more like the characters being placed in a different situation. 
> 
>  
> 
> Also, this story is inspired heavily by mollymaymaukme.tumblr.com/.  
> Go read their stories about Molly. They are so good! 
> 
> Translation: 
> 
> Scheiße = Shit  
> Title: A New Adventure Begins  
> Number in Series: Three  
> Pairing: Mollymauk Tealeaf x Reader  
> Fandom: Critical Role  
> Word Count: 2,901 
> 
> Art: https://www.tumblr.com/dashboard/blog/elleannor

[Song](https://www.deviantart.com/users/outgoing?https://youtu.be/1ZsgM3FOOVM?list=LLPq6vme7gGl8o_sc6n_pdcg)

 

"So, we have a couple of questions for you," Fjord spoke up first, a gentle smile on his face as though it could coax you into feeling comfortable and ignore the group's eyes that were watching you like a hawk. You knew what they were thinking, this was why you had tried to hide what you were from them. What if they didn't want to keep helping you now? Why must it become complicated now when the town wasn't that far off?   
  
    You were placed on the back of the wagon, legs hanging over the edge. The entire group stood before you, including Caleb who seemed right as rain again. Everything that had happened seemed fuzzy to you, as it always did. All you could remember was Caleb on the ground, pain in your eyes, and the rough hand against your skin. Trying to think about what happened just made light dots show up and make you feel dizzy once again. When was the last time you had fainted? The look in their eyes bragged you back to reality and make you think how all of this must seem. How could you even explain what had just happened when you didn't understand it yourself?   
  
    "So, hey, uh, want to tell us what the fuck you did back there? I know it was so cool but it would be nice to know you won't go all mother nature gone bloody on us. So, I would start talking." Beau's hands rested on her hips, radiating an aura of power and control. She was going to get an answer out of you one way or another. A flash of memory popped up of the drow acting the same way. Oh, Gods, there were the sparkles again.   
  
    "I, well, I don't really understand it."   
  
    "Oh, you don't? Great!"   
  
    "Nott!" Molly spat out, kicking the goblin lightly enough to get his point across.   
  
    "Well, I know it is magic," You continued, "I can't really control it or even decide what it does. I just pass out when it does its thing. All I know is that it happens when my emotions, especially fear, are really strong. I feel it growing like a bubble until it becomes too much and it just explodes out. Except the bubble is made of magic."   
  
    "She did help us from getting killed or hurt out there."   
  
    "Fjord has a point and I think we should listen to him."   
  
    "Of course Molly is on her side!"   
  
    "Want to say that again Beau?!"   
  
    "Scheiße, will you all be quiet and let me speak?" Caleb shouted out, something you didn't think was possible, "Alright? Listen up, all of you!"   
  
    "The girl is magic, ja? She does not have magic, she is magic. She is made of it, it runs in her blood. She is a sorcerer and an untrained one at that. Her magic will lash out to protect herself when it feels threatened enough. As long as you don't make her feel terrified in the future, she won't lash her magic out at you. She isn't very dangerous."   
  
    Just as the others listened, so did you. You knew it was magic within you and how it reacted to your emotions, but you never had a word for it. So, you were a sorcerer...How strange. Now that you had a word for it, you may be able to learn more about what you were. There must be research out there that could help you learn. It also meant that there had to be other people out there like yourself. Maybe if you could find some of them, they would be able to help teach you how to control your powers. You couldn't follow that thought train at the moment though because there were a bunch of people staring at you, definitely trying to figure out if they should keep you or not.   
  
    The way they each looked at you made a shiver run down your back. Caleb just looked tired, Jester confused, Fjord was unreadable, and Nott and Beau were judging you. You couldn't blame them. You didn't tell them about your magic and then scared them with it. You never had to deal with explaining your powers before. The drow sensed it in you and before, well, you couldn't remember how it was like before the drow.   
  
    "Please, I have nowhere to go. If you could just help me get to a town, I will leave you alone then. I promise," You begged, your tone sounding pitiful. It was obvious how much you needed help.   
  
    "The girl just needs a ride to town," Molly spoke in a soft tone, his eyes showing compassion in them. They looked so soft and kind, something you had never seen before. He may be a tiefling but he was acting so kind. Maybe you were wrong about what you were told about the race. Perhaps it was possible for tieflings to be kind.   
  
    "And then what will she do?" Fjord offered, "There should be a plan. Not saying we don't help it, it is just a good idea to figure out everything beforehand."   
  
    "I don't have any place to go, but that doesn't matter. I just need to get away from the Underdark opening. I can figure out what I can do from there, I'll find a job and then I'll find a place to sleep. Nothing worse could happen to me there then what happened below the ground. I could find someone to help me learn how to control my magic. I will be fine if you just can help me get to the town."   
  
    Molly stared as you spoke, thoughts racing around his mind. He knew there were so much you didn't understand. People could use you so easily and without any money, you might have to do a job that Molly would hate to imagine. You didn't know how the world worked up here and he didn't want that to ruin you. He didn't know why he cared so much, perhaps it was just the good in him. Even if they gave you money, there would be no one there to help you learn. Yasha had been there for him, he would have definitely messed up something without her. But you didn't have a Yasha, you had nothing.   
  
    "Oh, I know! Why doesn't she just come with us? Her powers are like totally awesome!" Jester piped up in her high pitched excited voice.   
  
    "What do you mean?" Nott narrowed her eyes. She always was protective of those in the group, especially of Caleb. This was her found family and she wasn't going to lose it.   
  
    "Well, you know, she is like totally powerful and stuff so that could be super helpful for what we do. Caleb is so smart, I'm sure with all his books that he can teach her how to control her powers. We always can use magic help, plus where else is she going to fit in so well? We are just a big group of people who don't fit in anywhere else. She should just join us, you know?"   
  
    "That isn't a terrible idea..." Caleb mumbled, nodding his head in thought.   
  
    The new few moments were filled with silence and very confused looks between everyone. You hadn't really thought about staying with the group because it seemed impossible. Now that it was on the table, could you say no? Did you even want to? You just wanted to stay safe and if they could promise that for you, you wouldn't mind. There was no home for you to go back to, or at least not one that you knew about. It would be nice to travel around the area and see all you had missed. There was no reason for you not to trust them. You didn't know them very well but they were better than the people you were surrounded by before. If they gave you any reason to fear them, you would be sure not to stay, but would taking a risk be all that bad?   
  
    "If it would be alright with all of you, I wouldn't mind staying with your group for a little bit at least." You were quiet as you tried to sound confident. You wouldn't blame them if they decided that they didn't want you to stay with them once they got to the next town. Just like how you didn't know them, they didn't know you.   
  
    "I am not against the idea." Fjord smiled in your direction.   
  
    "So it is settled! Welcome to the Mighty Nein!" Beau shouted as she climbed back into the wagon, hand clapping against your shoulder. That had to be a good sign if the one with the highest walls was willing to accept you into the group. The others followed suit, each seeming to accept you in one way or another as they got back into the wagon. Fjord spoke up and soon the horses were moving again, leaving the fight scene between them with looted bodies and bloodied dirt. 

 

 

-*- 

 

 

    Caleb and Jester were the first magic users you had seen that hadn't been a drowning. You were more interested in Caleb and his magic rather than Jester, as she got hers from whoever the Traveler was. You weren't interested in magic that had to be given, instead, you were more interested in those who possessed more of a magical nature like yourself. Yes, Caleb studied much more than you did, but that didn't mean he wouldn't be familiar with your own. He knew you were a sorcerer, who knows what else he might know. 

    The man seemed to either be taking a nap or reading some books while he was in the wagon. You couldn't blame him, there wasn't much else to do. Jester either chatted on about something or wrote down in her journal. For you, this was a nice change of pace that allowed you to feel safe and able to retreat into your thoughts. You weren't just waiting for the next time to be used and wondering if death really would be all the bad. 

    Your eyes studied those around you, Caleb sitting in front of you with a book in his hands. While the others stood out due to their race (excluding Beau), he stood out due to another part of his appearance. He was covered in filth, looking like yourself. He wasn't a slave like you, so he didn't have a reason to look this way. Did he simply prefer to go unwashed and untrimmed? It was such a juxtaposition with Molly sitting next to him. A man who took great pride in his appearance. 

    "Molly," You spoke up, "What is the town that we are heading towards?" 

    "It's Zadath, dear. I suppose it is a rather large city. We have been there before we met you. We were on our way back from dealing with Gnolls, nasty little buggers, but we dealt with them. Have you ever seen a gnoll before?" 

    "No, I don't believe so. The drow took me when I was very young, around seven or eight if I'm correct, and I can't remember anything before them. They kept me hidden most of the time but there aren't many creatures that live in the Underdark taken by the drow. I would mainly see a bunch of drow and spiders." 

    "Spiders?" Nott's eyes turned wide. 

    "Yes, the drow love spiders. I know it has something to do with a Goddess called Lothe. She is like a mix of a drow and a spider. Very mean and evil, she made them sacrifice people, like the other slaves or people that they had captured. I don't believe that any of the people they caught were very strange, they often were just travelers. The strangest races that passed through were things called firbolgs and kenku. Many were more humanoid people." 

    "That must have been very hard for you to deal with," Molly leaned forward, eyebrows pinched together in worry. His hand gently touched your knee and gave a comforting pat. The look he gave you wasn't filled with any lies, he truly felt that way. How long had it been since someone truly felt bad for you? 

    Everything down below was filled with anger and if they tried to be nice to you, it was just to trick and mock you. Even the others captured never felt bad for you, though it was hard for you to be angry at them. They simply were afraid for their own life. They never lived long enough to truly get to know you and learn why you were down there as a prisoner. It was hard to see people who you got close to die. You learned to just try to keep yourself unattached, as they would never live more than a few days. 

    "It was, but it is over now. I just want to work on understanding my magic and experiencing everything that I have missed. I don't want to focus on the past when the future is here." 

    "What are you most excited to do?" 

    "I don't know. I really can't remember much about the world above. Or, I guess it is the world I'm in now, it still feels strange to say that." 

    "Have you ever gotten drunk?" Jester's voice spoke up, eyes wide as she stared at you. 

    "No, I've smelled ale and wine before but they never let me taste it." 

    "Oh, my Traveller! You have never done anything with anyone! And I mean anything!" 

    "Jester!" Molly scolded, tailing whipping furiously as he glared at the blue tiefling. He knew that she meant no harm in what she said, but she didn't have to make it seem so blunt. It was obvious how embarrassing it must be to be asked something like that. You had gone deathly pale, your hands clenched so tight that your knuckles were going white. 

    "I mean, I've kissed a boy before. They kidnapped a teen half-elf once. I knew I shouldn't have done it but...Yet, I know I haven't done much but-" 

    "(Y/N)," Caleb looked up from the book he was reading, "Be quiet. Jester's strong suit isn't in her intelligence of social situations. You don't need to keep talking. She is just talking without thinking it through first. 

    Your skin prickled in a way that wasn't what you were used to with your magic. Instead, you were just filled with embarrassment from what had fallen out of your mouth. Normally you wouldn't have said any of that but it was like you wanted to prove something to Jester, without judging you for everything you've missed in life. You may have experienced some things but it was true that you had missed a lot in place of torture. You didn't want people to judge you based on all that you had missed. Was it really that bad to be your age and not have experienced much with another person? 

    "Oh, this will be amazing!" Jester was acting like what Caleb said didn't even bother her, "I will become like your big sister! I will teach you everything about what you've missed! I'll help you get all cleaned up and do your hair! It will be sooooooo fun! I've never had a sister before but I've always wanted a little one. You can totally be that for me!" 

    "Mein Gott...." 

    "Yeah, not to be rude or anything, but you definitely need to wash up. Either that or we have another Caleb on our hands." Beau offered from the front of the cart with Fjord, turning back to look in your direction, "Not saying you stink or anything but I'm pretty sure I saw a bird's nest in your hair." 

    You blushed once again, but you knew she was right. Down below, they didn't keep you very clean. Appearances didn't matter to them. You just tried to keep your hair u[p and our of your face and your hands clean enough to eat to keep from getting sick. The idea of being clean made you feel good. You hadn't seen yourself clean in so long, you couldn't remember what you looked like at all really. What color were your eyes again? You had dreamed of wearing a pretty dress with your hair braided beautifully. That had been a stupid daydream before when you were captured. It helped you keep going and hope that maybe one day it would happen. 

    "Thank you, Jester, that would be very nice." 

    "We will all help you." Molly smiled, "We all have different skills that we know very well. If Jester was the only one to teach you everything, who knows what you would end up being like." 

    The wagon erupted in laughter from Beau, Molly, and Nott as well as Jester's high voice trying to defend herself. There was a soft sense of safety and happiness that surrounded everyone in the cart. The joke meant no harm and did that, coming off as just a way to lighten the mood and change the topic. It wasn't long before Nott sparked up a different conversation. Everyone in the group seemed to be friends and you hoped you could be a part of that as well. You really hadn't known what it was like to have friends. Perhaps you would learn soon enough.

 


	4. Tavern Trip

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning(s):  
> One more thing, in this story, pretend that Jester drinks alcohol and not just milk all the time. 
> 
> Title: A New Adventure Begins  
> Number in Series: Four  
> Pairing: Mollymauk Tealeaf x Reader  
> Fandom: Critical Role  
> Word Count: 5,302

 

[Song](https://www.deviantart.com/users/outgoing?https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N30sBDpUR1Q&list=PLD5WLGx3FZOydxWjZFMAccdpa03busFaA&index=4&t=0s)

 

 

The group finally reached the tavern in the evening, an hour or so before the bars would be getting most of its customers. The wagon was packed and things were grabbed as you walked into the tavern. Customers were quietly chatting, most being others who were staying in the tavern. They were eating dinner, which seemed to be some sort of meat and potatoes. The smell was delicious and caused your stomach to quietly growl. The idea of a hot meal was wondering at the moment. How long had it been since you had one? The Mighty Nein had given you simple rations of bread and cheese while traveling.   
  
    You could feel a few eyes on you as you walked toward the bar. How could you blame them, you looked terrible. Twigs were in your hair and dirt on your skin. They must think you were some feral woman they picked up out in the woods, which wasn't that outlandish to believe. Subconsciously, you moved closer to Molly as he seemed to have such a confident aura. You got the feeling that he liked when people watched him. The entire party got stares but you couldn't help but feel like all of the eyes were trained on you.   
  
    "No worries, dear. We always get stares when we go anywhere." Molly's tail curled around your waist in a comforting gesture, "Guess you can't help it when you have green, blue, and purple members. You'll learn to get used to it. I'm sure that once you're cleaned up, they will skip right over you and look at me. I can make them all stare at me if you want, I have a talent for it."   
  
    "No, thank you. Just stay close, please." Your eyes looked up at Molly like a scared puppy. How could he say no when you were looking at him like that? His stomach twisted in a way he wasn't familiar with.   
  
    "I promise, I'll stay by your side as long as you want me there."   
  
    "Hello, we were hoping to rent out four rooms if we could," Fjord spoke to the woman behind the bar, placing two gold on the counter.   
  
    "Why of course you can darlin'. Here are the keys and they are up to the right, past the stairs and to the left."  
  
    "Do you also have a bath here?" Jester popped her head to the side of Fjord, pink eyes staring up at the woman.   
  
    "Of course. We can draw up the water and fill it now if you would like. It would be ready within the hour. Now, that would be one more silver."   
  
    Molly reached forward and placed the money next to Fjord's, smiling at the woman, "Here you go. Thank you for your work."   
  
    "We will come and get you when the bath is ready. Is that all?"   
 

-*-

    You slowly dipped your feet in the warm water, enjoying how it heated up your body. The heat would shiver up your spine as your body was finally enveloped by the water. It wasn't hot enough to actually burn you but it was just at the point of making your skin feel almost numb. The water was deep enough to cover your chest, ending just below your collar bone. Your hair was down and rested outside of the bath, keeping the tangled knots from getting wet.   
  
    "Alright," Jester said as she sat down in the stool behind you," I'm gonna brush your hair since I can make sure to get all the knots and yucky bits out. Just tell me if I end up hurting you."   
  
    With a gentle hand, Hester parted your dirty hair as well as she could with how matted it was. She then took one part and used her comb to brush out the dirt, using her hand to pick out the larger obstacles. At times, she had to really tug to get through a bit. It hurt but you told her she didn't need to keep apologizing. The pain was there but it needed to happen. Even without getting your hair wet, the water was becoming slightly dirty due to your body as you scrubbed your down as much as you could with the tiefling brushing your hair.   
  
    "Do you remember your family at all? We could try taking you to them if you wanted."   
  
    "I actually don't remember anything from before. I feel like I should miss them but I just can't miss what I don't remember, you know?"   
  
    You stared at the water, dirt swirling like vines. Your hand gently followed it, fingers just barely touching the water. It tickled as you moved the water, eventually making tiny waves that dispersed back into the water. Should you feel bad because you didn't miss the family you had taken from you? Where were they even located? Did you have any siblings? You had all those questions with no way of getting the answers. They didn't even seem all that important to you. All you wanted to do was to be able to live a life without being a servant to someone.   
  
    "No, I guess not. We can be your family now. Just call me, Big Sister Jester! If you want, my mom can totally be your mom as well. She is called the Ruby of the Sea, but I'm sure you haven't heard of her since you were underground. She is like the most beautiful tiefling. People go to her and she entertains them. She makes a lot of money."   
  
    "But the group is really nice too! I'm sure you'll like them. Beau has a big wall around herself and has a hard time expressing her feelings unless you are Yasha. Nott is totally crazy but awesome. When you need to do something that may not be legal, she is the one to go to. She is like Caleb's mom, though he will never admit it. He is weird but he knows a lot."   
  
    "Does he know a lot about magic?" Your eyes glanced up, trying to see the girl behind you but only seeing the hint of her horns.   
  
    "Oh yeah! He knows a lot about a lot of things but he is really interested in magic stuff. I'm sure that he will be able to help you with all your magic bubbling inside of you. I can't really help but that, but I can help you with other stuff. Stuff like making you look so pretty." Jester picked up the mug she had gotten and used it to wet your hair. She then grabbed the soap, beginning to lather your hair with it.   
  
    "And what is Molly like?"   
  
    "Oh~" Jester giggled to herself. She had seen the way that Molly had been looking at you. It could be nothing but it seemed obvious that the purple tiefling had some need to protect you. You had seemed very small and scared when they first had seen you. With Jester's creative and romantic mind, she had hoped there was more. Perhaps she would play a little matchmaker if it seemed like either of you were interested in each other. Oh, who was she kidding, she would do that as long as she thought it would be cute.   
  
    "Well, Molly is very charming. He is very good in a fight and he is a very good person, even if he doesn't think he is." Jester's fingers scrubbed against your scalp, her nails giving just enough pressure to make it relaxing. Your eyes lazily shut as you enjoyed the moment. This felt like such a strange pleasure for you, as it was something you didn't know about. You could drift off to sleep here with how comfortable it all was.   
  
    "He seemed nice," You spoke as Jester poured water over your head once again. The water was beginning to cool but it still wasn't terrible. You were able to run your fingers through your hair now, all the knots and debris having been washed out of it. The color was darker due to how wet it was but it looked shiny when you looked at a piece.   
  
    Once you finish washing and drying, Jester allowed you to use one of her dresses and made up your hair. Looking in the mirror in the room that you were sharing with Beau and Jester, you felt like you were going to cry. You never thought you could look so pretty in your life. The dress was blue with a white top similar to a peasant top but a bit fancier. Your hair was in braids in sections while the rest rested down on your back. You truly looked like a princess.   
  
    "Oh, Jester. Thank you so much! I look so pretty!" You clapped your hands and spun to face the blue tiefling. There was such a large grin on your face. With all the dirt gone, your face seemed more lively and less sickly. The color was back on your cheeks, though your body was still a bit underfed, showing that you had been through some bad stuff. Jester had placed some safety pins around the waist to keep the dress from sliding down. Hopefully, with a good couple of meals, you would be on your way to beginning to have a stable weight. You were just happy to be alive, no matter how skinny or dirty you were.   
  
    "No need to thank me. You look so pretty under all that gunk and gross stuff. Now, let's go downstairs. The others just went down to get us a table for dinner," Jester spoke as she led you out of the room and down to the first floor. There was more chatter now and music from the bard that had arrived. A laugh broke through the chatter before being swallowed back up again. Dinner was now being served but there was now the people who simply wanted a drink or two. The Might Nein grabbed a table in the middle, surrounded by other tables. Some were filled with patrons and others were eating as well.  
  
    Everyone was seated with a barmaid setting down the plates with the same food from earlier. Caleb and Nott were next to each other, a free seat by Nott's side. The other free seat was next to Mollymauk on the edge, where someone wouldn't be to the left of you. It seemed as though they were talking about something but the conversation died out when they noticed the two of you coming down. Jester's hand rested on your back when you froze up at all the pair of eyes on you. You still weren't used to people looking at you. The girl gently pushed you forward to keep you moving toward the group.   
  
    "(Y/N), come sit by me." Molly smiled in your direction, red eyes brightening as he saw you. It was hard for you to tell where he was specifically was looking at his eyes didn't have any pupils. It would be scary if he wasn't always smiling or saying something funny. You had been surrounded by evil for such a long time that it was easy for you to tell that he was far from what his appearance may come off as. You knew there was a good soul held inside that body.   
  
    Whether you were going to sit next to Molly or not, Jester made the choice for you as she sat down next to Nott. As soon as the food was placed in front of you all, Nott began to dig in. The others began to eat a bit more slowly, making sure not to make a mess like the goblin. You yourself were a bit more timid, studying the food before you began to eat. It didn't matter what you were eating, you were merely curious about what was on your plate. It was spiced very well and everything was very warm.   
  
    "You look really nice," Molly's comment caused butterflies to go to your stomach, though you weren't sure why. Such a simple comment shouldn't make you feel this way. Perhaps it had something to do with the food, you had never felt like this before. You had no clue what this feeling as if it continued perhaps you would ask one of the girls. This could just be something normal that you weren't sure about because of being underground.   
  
    "Thank you. Jester is letting me war some of her stuff since I really don't have anything of my own."   
  
    "I'm sure that's no problem for her, she has so much money from her mom." Beau laughed, taking a swig from her mug.   
  
    "Well, you know, I'm super generous. She needs some stuff and if I'm gonna be her older sister, I have to help her with that stuff." Jester smiled at you and for the first time, you smiled back. With the time upstairs, you were becoming to form something of a friendship with the blue tiefling. She had been able to form a bond with you, proving that you had nothing to fear with her. You were grateful for all of them but they still made you a bit nervous. You wouldn't be comfortable with really any of them alone.   
  
    "You don't even know if she is younger than you or if she wants you to be her sister." Nott chuckled, shaking her head. In mere minutes, she had cleared her entire plate and was eating Fjord's leftovers. She ate like she wasn't sure where her next meal would be coming from. You could relate to that and wondered if perhaps the two of you were more alike than you thought.   
  
    "You act like Caleb's mom and you are younger than him! You can't go and judge me like that when you are totally like his mom!"   
  
    "Nott isn't my mom." Caleb shook his head.   
  
    "She does act like it though." Molly pipped in.   
  
    "That just means she cares. Everyone should have someone like that." You spoke up, hoping that you weren't taking it too seriously. You knew you didn't understand the difference between when something truly meant something to be taken seriously or if it was a joke. Tone and inflection was something that didn't really make that much sense to you.   
  
    "Thank you, (Y/N)."   
  
    It wasn't long until everyone had finished up their dinner and the plates were collected once again. Caleb pulled out one of his spellbooks to study once again. You hadn't really seen him without a book in his hands. Did he do anything to relax? Perhaps this was relaxing to him. You had a hard time enough when it came to reading, which meant studying was even harder. This was why you thought the activity couldn't be relaxing. While he read, Beau was flirting with one of the girls and Nott was off, explaining how she had seen something that she wanted to add to her collection. This left you with Molly, Fjord, and Jester at the table, though Caleb was there but he was too busy to give any of your attention.   
  
    "We should go get you a drink and celebrate!" Jester quickly stood up, giving you no time to answer before she was dragging you to the bar. You were able to hear Fjord sigh, obviously used to this side of the girl. She never meant any harm with her actions but she was very hyperactive. You had never seen someone act as Jester did. She did what she wanted and didn't seem to have any fear in her bones. She wore her confidence like a crown.   
  
    She had you sit down on one of the barstools and ordered two large ales. You had ale before as it was safer than water, but you never took more than a few sips. Apparently, it often was used during celebrations and to have a good time, to loosen up emotions and have fun. If Jester was saying you sh0ould drink it, then you would trust her this time, hoping it would be alright. It didn't take long until the drinks were brought to you in the biggest cups you had ever seen.   
  
    "Cheers to joining the Mighty Nein!" Jester grinned as she lifted her drink. It was obvious she had done this before with the ease that she lifted it up. You only rose yours and inch or two from the table due to your fear of spilling it everywhere. Once the mugs clinked against each other, the two of you drank. Jester chugged her drink, getting it half down before she needed to take a breath. On the other hand, you only have gotten about one fourth down before you wouldn't drink anymore. It wasn't a terrible taste, just like water with a bad aftertaste.   
  
    "I'm gonna totally be like the best sister ever!" Jester giggled, a hand hitting against your back before leaning back in her chair. It was hard for you to tell if she was having a reaction because of the drink or if she was just being herself. She was so strange to you, very outgoing when she had no alcohol in her system. You had no clue what she would be like when she did have some. You drank a bit slower when it came to your ale, casually drinking and chatting with her.   
  
    "Did you ever think you would get out of there?" She asked, her voice quicker than it was moments before. How had her mind shifted so quickly? Just seconds ago she was talking about the future happily before changing to speak of the past in hushed tones.   
  
    "I don't know. I had waited in the beginning, hoping that I would be saved by someone. I thought that it wasn't far and that this couldn't be happening to me, but as time passed, I began to lose hope. It began to become obvious that no one would come for me. I still had moments at night, or well, when I slept, where I would think it had to be possible to leave. I decided that it might not be possible for someone to save me and that I would have to get myself out. If no one was going to save me, then I had to save myself. I wanted more for my life than being used as a personal power booster."   
  
    "That is what is going to make you a great hero and adventurer with us. When we do stuff, one of the most important things is not just hoping that someone is else is going to do it."   
  
    "I just don't know how to fight Jester, I'm weak."   
  
    "Don't go and saw that now. I don't like liars. I saw you out there on the roads, you killed like all of those guys in one attack. That is not what I would call a weak person. Sure, you might not know how to control it but that can be dealt with. Caleb is so smart, if anyone can teach you to have to control your magic, it is going to be him. Your power is like so cool!"   
  
    "I just don't want to hurt someone I care about. It just happens when my emotions are so strong."   
  
    "Come on, another drink for us! No sad topics tonight, we are celebrating!" Hester shouted, startling you for a moment due to the quick change of her volume. You looked down at your cup to see it was empty just like Jester's. You hadn't even remembered drinking it but you must have been between talking. It was obvious due to the light warmness in your stomach and calmness in your head that you had drunk it. Even though you were talking about your past, it wasn't bothering you at all. It may have only been two days ago but it seemed so long ago in present your state of mind.   
  
    The mugs were filled again by the barkeep, collecting the money from Jester. She took no time in emptying her cup once again, cheeks turning a deeper blue. You decided to take more time in drinking yours as you could feel the alcohol beginning to set in. How much were you supposed to drink? You didn't want to drink too much but you didn't know what was enough. Jester obviously had enough for herself as she began to ramble about something called Tusked Love before getting distracted by the bard. She was gone before you knew it, leaving you alone at the bar with a fuzzy mind.   
  
    You placed your elbow against the bar, chin in your palm as you looked around the tavern. It was now filled with drunks and dancers. Laughter and chatter filled the air, everyone was relaxed and happy. Yet, here you were at the bar, left with your thoughts in a difficult place. Perhaps it was the beer or now that you were alone, the fear began to wash over you. Not a fear of being in danger but a fear of the unknown. From here, you weren't sure what was to come. There was so much that you didn't know or understand.   
  
    "Care for a chat?" A half-elf man spoke up, sitting down in the chair that Jester had been in just a few moments ago. The main was rather attractive with long silver hair. He definitely looked like he took after more in his elven heritage. The only way you could see any human in him was the small point of his ears, unlike your ears which were rather large and had a ended with a sharp point. He had a kind smile on his face and seemed to hold no ill will in his interaction. You merely were judging people based on what you knew from before, of how the drow acted as that was evil to you.   
  
    "I don't mind."   
  
    "What is someone as pretty as yourself doing up here all alone?" He leaned in your direction, his elbow resting on the bar just like yourself, mirroring your own action. His eyes seemed to scan every part of you as he spoke, his grin that of a rat. Slowly, his hand began to rest on your own that was resting again the bar table. A spark shot through you as soon as he made contact. Your body tensed, unsure of the situation you were in. Oh, how you wished Jester hadn't run off, you needed her help in understanding what was normal or not.   
  
    Why did she have to leave you? She said she would help...Your mind was spinning and you couldn't think straight. What did the man want again? You had forgotten what he had said moments before.   
  
    "My friend was here but I don't know where she went." You glanced around but the tavern was so crowded that you couldn't even see the blue tiefling. The lights seemed to be too fuzzy and the noises were getting muffled. The thought of how your magic may react to liqueur never came across your mind even as the visual of the world began to change. The edges of your vision were filled with different colors, just faerie lights. Yet, as you turned your head, the lights continued to stay in just the edge of your vision. Due to your magic, alcohol had a very strong effect on you. It was best for you not to drink, especially if you were left alone. Yet, that information was far from your mind as you hadn't learned it yet.   
  
    "I could be your friend for the night." It felt numb where his hand was as it slowly slid up, moving up your forearm. As he touched you, it felt as though he was freezing your body. You blinked, trying to fight through the fog in your brain to understand what was going on. Black waves came from the man's body, sending shivers down your spine. Whatever he wanted, it couldn't be good. You didn't like that he was touching you.   
  
    "What?"   
  
    Another hand rested on you, though this one on your lower back. Unlike the hand on your arm, this hand caused warm to spread over your skin. You knew this had something to do with your magic, like a warning system built in when your mind was foggy. A tail wrapped around your waist and rested on your thigh, expelling the hallucinated ice that was creeping up your body. As you glanced down, you were greeted by the color purple. You may be confused but just that color brought a feeling a safety over you.   
  
    "You know, I think she already has enough company for the night. Why don't you go off and find someone else to spend time with?" Molly grinned down at the man, making sure the light was enough to glint off his sharp teeth. He knew his appearance was frightening to some and he had learned to use this to his advantage. Red eyes narrowed, burning like the fire of the elemental plane. Molly lived long enough to know when someone was unwanted and while he wouldn't admit it, he had been watching you since you left his side. It simply was because you were a party member, right?   
  
    Yet, he couldn't ignore how his nails gently grazed against your back and how he pressed you against his side as he glared daggers at the man in front of you two.   
  
    The half-elf quickly moved his hand away from you, his eyes shifting from you to the devil that was now beside you. Blinking, you tried and failed to focus your gaze again. Why had the man left? Nothing seemed to be making sense to you. The only thing you knew for certain was the warmth that came from the man next to you. Your head flopped to the side to rest against the hard chest, eyes fluttering up to look Molly in the face. Had he always been that handsome?   
  
    "Darling, how much did you and Jester drink?"   
  
    "Two ales that were the size of your head..." Why did your voice sound so quiet?   
  
    "Oh, and you had never really drunk before. I'll have to talk to her about that later. For now, we should get you up to your room, how does that sound?" Molly's hands moved to rest just above your hips and began to help you stand. Your legs wobbled and you slumped against his side once again. As his hands helped to hold you up, his tail wrapped around to press against your back to help you keep your balance. Slowly, he began to lead you forward and up the stairs. In the muffle of voices downstairs, you could hear Jester's voice shouting for Fjord. None of that mattered as your body was brought closer and closer to a bed. The alcohol was beginning to make you feel very tired.   
  
    As the door shut, the two of you were left alone in the room. Beau and Jester must still be downstairs and would come up later. You flopped down on the bed, legs outstretched off the side while your head buried in the rather hard pillows. Molly grabbed your boots and took them off, placing them next to the bed. A quiet groan came from your mouth, a whimper following it as it finished. You rolled on your back, staring up at the ceiling, eyes fogging over as your thoughts began to run wild again.   
  
    Molly made sure to be a gentleman when he helped you undress and got you into the nightgown to sleep in. Even though in your sober state you would be nervous about this, your drunken self didn't care in the slightest. You would make sure not to drink this much again, which wasn't even when you had the hangover.   
  
    "Molly, please don't leave." You whimpered as he moved toward the door, "Don't leave me here alone. Come lay down with me please."   
  
    The tiefling bit his lip in thought as he walked over. He ended up laying down on top of the covers while you were under them. He wanted to give you some privacy so you wouldn't have to worry when you were remembering this in the morning. He knew this must be confusing and frightening to experience when you didn't understand how drinking affected people. He moved his arm to rest under your head, fingers gently running through your hair. He could see the tears beginning to form in your eyes and your bottom lip beginning to quiver. He worried, wondering if he had done something wrong when your quivering voice spoke up.   
  
    "I'm so scared."   
  
    "Of what? No one is going to hurt you here, we will make sure of that."   
  
    "No, I just don't understand what is going on with me and what I should do. My life before was to be used and it isn't like that anymore. I know it is better, but I'm still scared. I don't know who I am or what to do. I just want my brain to feel like it understands things again. At least down below it was easy to know what was going on and what I was supposed to do."   
  
    "(Y/N), can I tell you something?" Molly asked, slowly sitting up to rest on his free arm so he could look you in the eyes, "Two years ago, I woke up in the ground with not a single memory in my brain. I had no clue who I was or how this world worked at all. My life was entirely a blank slate. I know that fear that you are feeling right now because I've felt it myself."   
  
    "How did you make it go away?"   
  
    Molly's hand that rested in your hair descended so his thumb could lightly swipe against your cheek to get rid of a tear that had escaped from your eyes. His red eyes were filled with empathy and sadness as he stared down at your shaking body. He truly did understand more than others because he had been through it himself. He never thought he would be on the other side of his coin.   
  
    "I had friends and people who cared about me. They were there to help me and teach me everything that I needed to know. That was how I joined the circus, a job helped keep my mind busy and kept me from moments like this from happening. I promise that it will get better with time as you learn. But, remember that you have all of us to help you as well. You are not alone. We may have just met but none of us are planning on going anywhere. Caleb will be there to help you with your magic and Jester will be there to help you deal with emotions. Plus, I'm going to be right by your side with my sly grin, right?"   
  
    Molly felt successful when a small smile spread across your face as you sniffled. You rubbed your eyes, taking a few deep breathes to calm yourself down. The man traced designs on your shoulder as you calmed yourself down.   
  
    "Come now, close those eyes and get some sleep. I'll stay right here until you do and even after, my room is just one to the right next to yours." He whispered, allowing you to listen to his calm voice. He continued to trace patterns on your skin, your body pressed against his side like he would disappear if you didn't. His voice deepened as he quietly hummed out what seemed like some kind of comforting tune. As you fell asleep, you could feel the comforting rumble of his chest, sending you off into the darkness of your mind.


End file.
